Bank assemblies for flat type switches



Get. 16, 1956 H. SENGEBUSCH BANK ASSEMBLIES FOR FLAT TYPESWITCHES Original Filed July 12 1951 2 Sheets-5heet 1 HANS INVENTOR. SENGEBUSGH ATTORNEY Oct. 1956 H.5ENGEBUSCH BANK ASSEMBLIES FOR FLAT TYPE SWITCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 12 1951 INVENTOR. HANS SENGE BUSCH ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,767,352 BANK ASSEMBLIES FOR FLAT TYPE SWITCHES Hans Sengebusch, Chicago,

Electric Laboratories, of Delaware lll., assignor to Automatic Inc., "Chicago, Ill., a corporation 2 Claims. (Cl. 317-112) The present invention relates to switching apparatus for telephone systems, and more particularly to bare wire bank assemblies thereof.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and novel frame for supporting a plurality of two motion, flat type switches in a vertical direction and for supporting a plurality of contact bank assemblies in alignment therewith.

A feature of this invention is the new and novel bare wire contact mounting means whereby rows of contacts are removably mounted in a contact bank.

This application is a division of applicants copending application Serial No. 236,377, filed July 12, 1951, now Patent No. 2,684,408, issued July 20, 1954.

Other objects and features of this invention will be brought out more clearly upon a perusal of the following specification and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the switch mounted in a framework which is provided with one of the novel contact bank assemblies which may be used therewith; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the framework which is adapted to maintain the contact bank assemblies in aligned position for a vertical stack of a plurality of switches of the general type described herein; Fig. 3 is a side view of the one of the bank assemblies; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The particular embodiment of the switch disclosed herein is capable of performing any of the well known functions of two motion switches, such as telephone linefinders, selectors and connectors. This switch is further adapted for selecting any one of two hundred groups of four conductors each, which are disposed about the switch in banks of insulated bare wires.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a framework upon which a plurality of switches 11, of the type more specifically described hereinafter, are stacked in vertical direction. The framework 19 is also adapted for maintaining a plurality of bank contact assemblies 12 in aligned position and arcuately disposed with respect to the switches 11. Each of the switches 11 includes an assembly of contact wipers 13, or as shown in the preferred embodiment, two assemblies of contact wipers 13, which are arranged to be rotated about a central post until such contact wipers 13 are in alignment with a desired contact bank assembly 12. The wiper assemblies are each slidably mounted on a bar 15 so that they may be moved radially, with respect to the switch, into contact with the elements of the bank assembly 12, as will be basically shown hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown What is more commonly referred to as a fiat type switch. The switch consists basically of a support plate or carriage mounted for rotational movement about a central post. A driving segment 17, for actuating the component members of the switch, is mounted on the central post for rotational movement thereabout. A changeover magnet 44 is secured to the base 16 in any well-known manner, and a motor magnet 51 is also secured to the base 16 in any well-known manner. Operation of magnet 44 causes the carriage 20 to be locked to the driving segment 17. Magnet 51 is then energized and restored a selected number of times causing the driving segment 17 to directly step a selected number of steps. This results in the alignment of the wipers with selected groups of bank contacts such .as 12 in the bank. Then magnet 44 is deenergized, causing the carriage 20 to be unlocked from the driving segment 17. Magnet 51 is then energized and restored a second selected number of times causing the wipers to move in a radial direction into the selected groups of bank contacts. This results in the selection of a particular set of bank contacts by said wipers. A more specific and detailed explanation of the operation of this switch is described in the parent application previously referred to.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the framework 10 and the bank contact assemblies 12 will be described in detail. The framework is made up of a plurality of shelves which are positioned and maintained one above another by suitable framework elements. Each of these shelves 130 is adapted to serve as the mounting for one of the switches 11 and the switch 11 is secured and positioned in place by any suitable means, such as screws 131.

The portion of the shelf 130 which is disposed beneath the contact wiper assemblies 113 is arcuately shaped in accordance with the are described by the tips of the contact wipers 72 during their rotary movement. This arcuate edge of the shelf 130 has a series of radially disposed projections 132, each of which is disposed along a radial line extending from the center axis of the switch 11. The distance between the projections 132 is equal to the distance the contact wiper assemblies 13 are moved when the carriage 20 of the switch is rotated one step.

The shelf 130 is further provided with a pair of laterally projecting arms 133, each of which has a bank locking wing 134 pivotally attached to the end thereof by screws 135. The shelf 130 also has a center arm 136 extending outwardly therefrom which is secured to an arm 137 of one of the wings 134 by a screw 138. The two wings 134 that are mounted on any one shelf 130 are fastened together by any suitable means, such as screw 139. The wings 134 are also provided with a plurality of projections 140 each of which is disposed along a radial line extending through the center axis of the switch 11 of one of the projections 132 of the shelf 130.

The bank assembly 12, which is adapted for use with this switching apparatus, is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4 and comprises a block of insulating material 141 which has a series of slots 142, longitudinally disposed along opposite sides thereof. A conductor wire or contact 143 is positioned and maintained in each of the siots 142 by a series of strips of insulating material 144. The strips 144 on each side of the bank are each provided with a metallic reinforcing plate 145 and each strip 144 and plate 145 laterally traverses all of the contacts 143. Each end is then fastened to the insulating block 141 by a rivet 146. The strips 144 and plates 145 are spaced along the assembly 12. When the contact bank assembly 12 is mounted in the framework 10, one of the retaining plates 145 will be disposed opposite each shelf 13%. In this way the bare outer surface of the contacts 143 are exposed and unobstructed for contact by the contact wipers 72 of the switch 11. The bottom portion of the bank assemblies 12, as seen in Fig. 3, has a diagonally disposed surface from which the terminating ends of the contact rods 143 are exposed. These terminating ends are accessible for connection to such further circuits as are desired. This connection may include an adaptable V plug-in type jack such as would permit disconnection and reconnection with relative ease. The terminating end of the contact bank assembly is provided with a suitable retaining plate 147 on either side of the bank assembly and each of which covers a suitable insulator 148. These plates and insulators 147, 148 are fastened to the structure by rivets 149.

The width of the projections 132, 140 are adjusted so that they will fit between the retaining plates 145 and 147 of the bank assembly 12. The portions of the retaining plates 145 and 147 which extend forwardly beyond the edge of the insulating block 141 are each notched, the notches in each case being wide enough to engage the thickness of the shelf 130. As will be seen in Fig. 2, when the contact bank assembly 12 engages the arcuately shaped surface of the shelves 130, one of the projections 132 of each of the shelves 139 is positioned between each pair of retaining plates 145 and 147 and the notches of the retaining plates engage the thickness of the shelves 130. After the bank 12 is so positioned, the wings 134 are rotated about their pivots 135 until the projections 140 engage the rearwardly extending portion of the retaining plates 145 and 147. The wings 134- are rotated inwardly an additional amount until the projections 132 and 140 tightly engage the insulating block 141, at which time each pair of wings are fastened together by screws 139 and the projection 137 is fastened to the arm 136 of each of the shelves 130. The contact bank 12 is thereby positioned along a radial line extending from the central pivot 14 of the switch 11. Since the contact wiper assemblies 13 and each switch are adapted to move along such a radial line, and since each of the projections 132 is positioned at one of the rotary steps of the Wipers 13, the contact bank which is connected to the framework as described above will be correctly positioned for engagement with the wiper during a selected radial movement thereof.

Having described the invention, what is considered new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

What is claimed is:

l. A mounting arrangement for the bare wire contact banks of a series of flat type switches comprising two vertical supporting walls, a plurality of first and second positioning elements mounted horizontally between said walls and adjacent to each other in a plurality of horizontal planes, a series of teeth projecting from said first and second elements and disposed along the edges thereof which face each other, each tooth being in vertical alignment with the teeth above and below it, a plurality of mounting plates having projections on each end, one of each of a pair of plates mounted on opposite sides of the bare wires of one of said banks, said banks removably mounted in adjacent vertical positions between said first and second elements with said projections extending between the teeth on said first and second elements, the vertically positioned bare wire contacts of each bank rigidly attached to its associated mounting plates, said first positioning elements being pivotally mounted and rotatable about their pivot points so that the mounting plates together with the bare wire contacts attached thereto may be slid in or out of said mounting arrangement, each plate having one projection extending over one of said elements to hold the banks in vertical position.

2. In an assembly for a plurality of flat type switches, in which the switches are mounted horizontally between two parallel vertical supporting walls, a plurality of first members mounted in substantially the same plane as said switches, each of said first members having an arcuate shaped portion thereon, said arcuate shaped portions having teeth spaced along said ares, a plurality of arcuate second members pivotally mounted in pairs on opposite ends of said first members and placed end to end in a concentric relationship to and in the same plane as said arcuate portion of said first members, two of said second members forming an arc concentric to said arcuate por tion of said first members, said second members having teeth thereon disposed opposite the teeth on said first member, a plurality of contact assemblies, a plurality of bare wire contacts carried by each of said contact assemblies, a plurality of plates insulated from said contacts and mounted in pairs with one of each pair on opposite sides of a contact assembly, said pairs spaced vertically throughout the length of said assemblies, said plates having projections at each end thereof, said assemblies mounted between said first and second members with said projections meshing with said teeth on said first and second members so that said bare wire contacts are engageable by all of said switches, and said second members are rotatable about their pivot points so that any contact assembly may be removed and re placed without disturbing the assembly of said flat type switches.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lienzen July 3, 1923 Lindstrom Apr. 22, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES 

